Modeling a Data Element

1. A computer system comprising: a repository having stored therein predefined data elements configured for use by a sender system in identifying information portions in electronic communications such that the information portions are automatically displayed and used by a receiver system to interpret contents of the electronic communications, each of the predefined data elements being associated with semantic information indicating its definition and intended use, the receiver system using the semantic information to display and interpret the electronic communications, wherein the data elements identify corresponding ones of the information portions according to the semantic information; and a modeling tool that, upon selection by a user, displays any of the predefined data elements for editing of the predefined data element and not of the information portions, the modeling tool presenting the semantic information for the selected data element, wherein an edited predefined data element is stored in the repository and accessed there by the receiver system.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the modeling tool presents a user-selectable control for adding a new data element to the selected data element, and wherein the user-selectable control provides a choice between creating the new data element as a new aggregation data element and a new basic data element.

3. The computer system of claim 2 , wherein the modeling tool provides that the user can select between predefined data types for the new data element.

4. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein upon the user selecting one of the predefined data types, the modeling tool provides that the user can select between predefined properties associated with the selected predefined data type.

5. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein the modeling tool determines at least one of the predefined properties that, together with the selected predefined data type, is of a qualified data type, and highlights the at least one of the predefined properties.

6. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein upon the user selecting one of the predefined properties, the modeling tool provides that the user can select between predefined qualifiers associated with the selected predefined property.

7. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the modeling tool determines at least one of the predefined qualifiers that, together with the selected predefined property and the selected predefined data type, is of a qualified data type, and highlights the at least one of the predefined qualifiers.

8. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the modeling tool is configured to present more than one physical representation of the selected data element.

9. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the modeling tool provides that the user can modify, for any data element included in the selected data element, a value for any of several context categories that affect the relevance of the data element.

10. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the modeling tool is configured to present an item from at least one standard for electronic communication, the item being associated with a data element included in the selected data element through a mapping.

11. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the semantic information includes at least a data type, a property and a qualifier for the property.

12. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the modeling tool provides a choice control for indicating a possible choice between several data elements included in the selected data element.

13. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the modeling tool provides a sequence control for indicating a sequence including several data elements included in the selected data element.

14. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the modeling tool provides a choice control and a sequence control, and wherein the user nests one of the choice control and the sequence control within the other.

15. A method to be performed in a process of a user modeling a data element, the method comprising: receiving a first user input made under guidance of a modeling tool in a graphical user interface (GUI), the input selecting one of several predefined data elements configured for use by a sender system in identifying information portions in electronic communications such that the information portions are automatically displayed and used by a receiver system to interpret contents of the electronic communications, each of the data elements being associated with semantic information indicating their definition and intended use, the receiver system using the semantic information to display and interpret the electronic communications, wherein the data elements identify corresponding ones of the information portions according to the semantic information; presenting, in the GUI and in response to the first user input, a representation of the selected predefined data element, the representation containing the semantic information; and modifying at least one aspect of the semantic information of the predefined data element and not the information portions based on a second user input made under guidance of the modeling tool, wherein the predefined data element associated with the modified semantic information is stored in a repository and accessed there by the receiver system.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the modification comprises adding another data element to a group of data elements that make up the selected data element.

17. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, the computer-program product comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, generate on a display device a graphical user interface (GUI) for modeling a data component, the GUI comprising: a data element modeling area that presents a predefined data component selected by a user for editing, the predefined data element configured for use by a sender system in identifying an information portion in electronic communications such that the information portion is automatically displayed and used by a receiver system to interpret contents of the electronic communications, the editing performed on the predefined data element and not on the information portion, the data element modeling area presenting semantic information for the selected data element, the receiver system using the semantic information to display and interpret the electronic communications, wherein an edited predefined data element is stored in a repository and accessed there by the receiver system; and a data type modeling area that, upon the user's selection, presents a data type on which the selected data element is based.

18. The computer-program product of claim 17 , wherein the data element modeling area further presents, upon selection by the user, at least one data element that is included in the selected data element.

19. The computer-program product of claim 17 , wherein the data element modeling area visually indicates a modification that is made in the semantic information based on user input.

20. The computer-program product of claim 17 , wherein the data type modeling area further presents data type semantic information editable by the user.

21. A method to be performed in a process of a user modeling a data element, the method comprising: receiving a first user input made under guidance of a modeling tool in a graphical user interface (GUI), the input selecting one of multiple predefined data elements configured for use by a sender system in identifying information portions in electronic communications such that the information portions are automatically displayed and used by a receiver system to interpret contents of the electronic communications, each of the multiple predefined data elements being associated with semantic information indicating its definition and intended use, the receiver system using the semantic information to display and interpret the electronic communications, wherein the data elements identify corresponding ones of the information portions according to the semantic information; presenting, in the GUI and in response to the first user input, a representation of the selected predefined data element for editing of the predefined data element and not of the information portions, wherein an edited predefined data element is stored in a repository and accessed there by the receiver system, the representation containing the semantic information, the modeling tool presenting the semantic information of the selected data element in table form, the presented semantic information comprising: a name of the selected data element based on a Core Components Technical Specification and on an International Organization for Standardization 11179-5 convention, a data type of the selected data element, and any data element being included in the selected data element; receiving a second user input made under guidance of the modeling tool to modify at least one aspect of the presented semantic information; and modifying the selected predefined data element according to the user input.